CCI REGION BOURGOGNE FRANCHE-COMTE

Their core work

CCI Bourgogne Franche-Comté is the regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry for eastern France, operating as the local node of the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN). They deliver innovation management services to SMEs — coaching companies on how to access EU funding, manage innovation processes, and connect with international partners. Their core work is helping small businesses in the Bourgogne and Franche-Comté regions navigate EU innovation support instruments, particularly the SME Instrument and the EIC Pilot.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In 2014-2017, the CCI focused on building foundational innovation management capacity in eastern France — setting up SME Instrument support, key account management systems, and learning from peer regions across Europe. From 2018-2021, the focus shifted toward more mature service delivery: coaching, EIC Pilot support, and helping SMEs use the Seal of Excellence as an alternative funding pathway. The evolution reflects a move from designing innovation support services to operating them at scale.

They are deepening their role as a regional gateway to European Innovation Council instruments, making them a natural partner for any initiative that needs SME engagement in eastern France.

How they like to work

CCI Bourgogne Franche-Comté strongly prefers to lead — they coordinated 5 of their 7 projects. Their consortia are small (8 unique partners across all projects), typical of Coordination and Support Actions focused on service delivery rather than large research consortia. They function as a regional hub connecting local SMEs to European networks, rather than as a deep technical contributor.

They have worked with 8 unique partners across 6 countries, reflecting a modest but genuinely European network. Their connections are likely concentrated among other EEN nodes and chambers of commerce rather than universities or research labs.

What sets them apart

As a Chamber of Commerce running EEN services, they sit at the intersection of local business communities and EU innovation programmes — a position that pure research organizations or consultancies cannot replicate. They have direct, trusted relationships with hundreds of SMEs in the Bourgogne and Franche-Comté regions. For any EU project that needs genuine SME engagement or dissemination in eastern France, they are one of the most credible and well-connected partners available.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EEN GRAND EST INNO
  Largest single grant (EUR 145,438) and their flagship EEN innovation support contract for eastern France.
• EEN EF4 INNO 20-21
  Most recent and second-largest project (EUR 105,000), showing continued and growing EU investment in their regional EEN services.
• Peer 4 Inno Manage
  One of only two projects where they joined as participant rather than coordinator, focused on cross-border peer learning about SME innovation support methods.